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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25023550">like a spider, there's a web that you have wove</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/alpacaswithhats/pseuds/alpacaswithhats'>alpacaswithhats</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>A3! (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>...I have been informed that Taichi's siblings HAVE names this is embarassing, Alternate Universe - Gods &amp; Goddesses, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, M/M, Original Character(s), Pining, Slow Burn, Taichi has a lot of anxious and gay thoughts the fic, YES Omi's outfit is based on that yokai card, and not the fun sexual kind, for plot purposes, not sure if I should rate this higher because of that, sue me, the tasutsumu is really on the side though, there can't be historical inaccuracies if not even the author knows what time the story is set in, trigger warning for choking, vague spoilers for the first autumn arc</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 07:22:01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>13,911</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25023550</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/alpacaswithhats/pseuds/alpacaswithhats</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“Why are you doing this?”</p><p>With a startled yelp Taichi whirled around to face his unexpected company. The tatami saw this as a good moment for revenge and his foot caught on the ground in his haste, causing him to tumble to the floor. <em>Yeah, I deserved that one.</em></p><p>Ashamed and terrified out of his mind, Taichi squeezed his eyes shut and held his breath. Except for his wildly beating heart, all he could hear was silence, but something in the air had shifted. He was going to die now, wasn’t he?</p><p> </p><p>(Or the one where Taichi vandalises a shrine and only gets a crush and even more problems for his efforts.)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Fushimi Omi/Nanao Taichi, Takatoo Tasuku/Tsukioka Tsumugi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>54</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>like a spider, there's a web that you have wove</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I have returned after disappearing in the void for two years and with a real monster of a fic too. I've never written this much before in my LIFE, but the things I do for OmiTai... </p><p>I wrote this inspired by Esurisne and their amazing Taichi narrative - it's time someone else stepped up to help feeding the tag. Please check out their lovely works for this pair because I adore them! Also the spoilers are mostly canon plot points converted into this universe so it's more of a case of "when you know you know", I think.</p><p>I did some research on japanese shrines for this and tried to include some of the language. It should be obvious from the context what the words mean though, I hope I'm not confusing anyone! </p><p> </p><p>(Title was taken from the song Freaking Me Out by Ava Max.)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Taichi was completely aware that he was prone to bad ideas. He had been told so plenty of times by plenty of different people. This however? Peak of mount stupidity.</p><p>In his defense, he could not be blamed entirely for this situation. The strange person he encountered certainly raised some very good points. Person? Could you really call an ancient being that? Either way, the god - whose name Taichi had already forgotten, he had never been any good with remembering such things, sue him - did promise him enough food and money to support his family. Life was not easy in a small village like this, so it was no big deal if he had to ruin the local shrine in return, right?</p><p>Wrong. Very big deal. Possibly the worst deal he ever made.</p><p>It was kind of too late for that realisation, considering he was already standing at the shrine’s entrance in the middle of the night, dressed in the darkest clothes he could find. He had always been equal parts amazed and terrified by the whispers about ninjas that spread around the town like a wildfire. He highly doubted that any ninja would actually get lost around this forgotten corner of the land, but the people liked to let their imaginations run wild. His pitiful attempt to sneak into these holy grounds would probably be the closest thing to any ninja activity here. Yikes.</p><p>Despite all this, he certainly did not feel like a dangerous ninja sneaking around the shrine as he was. It looked so different at night with the usually bustling crowd nowhere to be seen. It was a small village, yet the shrine was always full of life with townsfolk offering their prayers after work and the shrine staff keeping everything clean. Taichi only had bright memories attached to this place, of bringing his siblings here during celebrations or lending a hand to the kind head kannushi after the festivities have ended. He remembered her grateful smile and felt like crying. He really was a terrible person for trying to ruin this, wasn’t he?</p><p>He came to a stop in front of the haiden. The hall of worship instilled a sense of awe in him even in the dark of night and he could not help but feel dirty looking at it now. The building was so big that he had no idea where to even start his task. Slowly he stepped inside. The atmosphere was almost eery like this, as if the shrine knew exactly what his intentions were and was waiting with bated breath for him to sully himself. He vaguely wondered if the god of this shrine was frowning at his pathetic self right now. But then Taichi remembered the piercing cold stare of the god who had sent him on this mission and he realised that the time to turn back has long passed.</p><p>Trying to claw his crumbling resolve back together, he looked around the hall for a place to begin his walk of shame. His eyes immediately caught onto the altar at the end of the hall, however looking at it with such ill intent made him nauseous, so he averted his gaze to the ground. He stared at the tatami for a few heartbeats. </p><p><em> Well, it’s a good a place to start as any </em>. Taichi slowly sank to his knees and softly ran his hand across the floor. It almost felt like a silent apology. Then he took out the knife he brought with him from the kitchen at home and took his time with unwrapping the cloth he used to cover it with. He was completely aware he was stalling, but he had enough time to allow himself at least that much. Unable to prevent the inevitable much longer he carefully lifted the blade up and stuck it into the tatami. His hand would not stop shaking. He tightened his grip on the handle and started pulling the knife towards him. Despite it being the natural outcome, he stared at the resulting slash in shock and swallowed hard. It really was too late now.</p><p>The next slashes felt like an eternity and the lump in his throat would not disappear throughout the entire ordeal. Once all the tatami were cut open, he shakily got on his feet and looked around again. This would not be enough to satisfy the god, Taichi was certain of it. Still avoiding the altar, he turned towards the colourful fabrics hung on the walls. With a heavy heart and a jolt he tore them down. Compared to the tatami his knife went through the cloth like butter.</p><p>He had cut the decorations quickly and was forced to look for a new target way too soon. None of his options were enjoyable, but he walked towards the daiko drums next. He had always been particularily fond of their sound. More than once had he imagined what playing them would be like and how cool he would look. The drummers certainly always looked cool at the festivales, so he should too, right? Not like anyone would ever look him in the eye again if they knew what he was doing right now. Taichi buried the blade of his knife in the drum’s skin almost carefully and his heart ached with it. He could tell his breathing was not right. </p><p>Unsure where to continue and unwilling to damage the drums any further, Taichi turned towards the altar once more. The lump in his throat grew three sizes. He took a step closer to his next victim, the knife in his hands trembling violently. <em> I knew this was coming and yet… </em></p><p>“Why are you doing this?”</p><p>With a startled yelp Taichi whirled around to face his unexpected company. The tatami saw this as a good moment for revenge and his foot caught on the ground in his haste, causing him to tumble to the floor. <em> Yeah, I deserved that one. </em></p><p>Ashamed and terrified out of his mind, Taichi squeezed his eyes shut and held his breath. Except for his wildly beating heart, all he could hear was silence, but something in the air had shifted. He was going to die now, wasn’t he?</p><p>Nothing happened for another three seconds before Taichi decided that <em> not </em>knowing was indeed worse than knowing and he opened his eyes. He was not sure what he expected, but it certainly was not to come face to face with a large span of naked skin. Caught off guard for entirely different reasons, he let out another squeak and scooted backwards once more only to hit his head against the altar in the process. Figured that karma was still out to get him.</p><p>“Hey, careful now. Nothing is going to happen”, the voice spoke again in a gentle tone. It reminded Taichi of the way his mother spoke to an injured dog she took in last summer when the poor thing was too scared to let her come closer. Considering the way he reacted so far, it was fair that this stranger treated him like a skittish animal. He much felt like pray caught in this situation as he was, despite the person’s reassurance. Still, a part of him instinctively relaxed and he chanced another look at them.</p><p>The person - Was it a person? They came so close without making a sound, but maybe Taichi was just too busy panicking to hear them - was towering over him even while kneeling on the ground. The skin that had startled him earlier was still on full display from the way their dark yukata hung off their shoulder, exposing the wide span of their chest. Immediately flustered, Taichi tore his eyes upwards to meet their face. The stranger was frowning slightly at him, but their eyes were kind, so he did not quite feel like crawling into a hole and never coming out again. Seeing how he slowly calmed down a little, the person smiled softly and <em> oh </em>. Smiling definitely was a better look on them. He could get used to this sight.</p><p>“Why are you here?”, they asked again and Taichi was painfully brought back to reality. Right. That happened. Taichi let his eyes wander through the sacred hall. He did that. Oh gods, he <em> did </em>that.</p><p>“Please, take a deep breath. I am not mad, I just want to know your reasons.” The stranger put their hands on Taichi’s shoulders slowly as if to avoid startling him further. It was illogical, but their warm weight helped calm him down slightly. They did not sound mad, in fact they have been nothing but patient with him ever since finding him like this, so maybe he would survive this night after all.</p><p>“I’m sorry. Gods, I’m so sorry, I did not mean to- well I guess I did exactly what I came here to do, but I didn’t want this! Please believe me, I’m so sorry.” His eyes felt hot as tears started to well up, but he tried to force them down. What right did he have to cry when he was the one who destroyed this place? However, his eyes did not seem to care about his logic.</p><p>The warm hands on his shoulders began to rub slow circles into his skin as the stranger spoke again, still kindly. “I understand, I believe you. Why have you done this, then?”</p><p>“T-there was someone - a god? I think. Tall and kind of mean looking. I guess I understand now why mother said to never talk to strangers, but I’ve never really been good at listening to her... Oh, but I’m getting distracted! He spoke to me and suddenly everyone else around us froze? It was like time has stopped. He asked me to go ruin this shrine and of course I refused at first! That’s terrible and I really love this place! But then he told me about how he would be able to secure enough food and money for us, so we wouldn’t have to worry about it anymore. Mother and father are always working so hard and I try my best to help, but it just isn’t enough sometimes. I just wanted them to stop worrying for a while, but not like this. This isn’t what I wanted, I know it was wrong, but when he promised it to me, I just couldn’t resist. Even if there was only a small chance to make it happen, I had to take it for my family. I am so sorry!” </p><p>Silence followed Taichi’s unvoluntary word vomit. The stranger’s expression, who he was quite certain was not entirely human, gave none of their thoughts away. Their head was slightly tilted to the side and they seemed to look at him without quite seeing him. Taichi’s skin began to itch, but before the quiet stretched too long the other nodded. </p><p>“I see. What you did was certainly not right, but I am also to blame for not stepping in sooner. This guilt and responsibility is also mine to carry. How about this: you help with the reparations and then we will not worry about this incident anymore. Does this sound alright to you?” </p><p>Taichi could only blink in confusion. Where was the anger, the disappointment? He had vandalised a holy sanctum for the sake of his personal gain, so why were they not getting mad at him? They seemed to have a connection to this place, considering they were here in the middle of the night and yet they were going to let him off just like that? </p><p>He did not understand, but unwilling to give this strange being the chance to reconsider he nodded slowly. “Of course, that’s the least I can do”, he easily agreed. His unexpected companion brightened visibly at this and seemed relieved at his decision. </p><p>“Sounds good to me. What is your name, human?” They stood and offered a hand to Taichi who took it carefully. <em> It’s really warm </em>, he thought distractedly.</p><p>“T-Taichi. Nanao Taichi. And you are?” </p><p>They chuckled softly at that, clearly caught off guard by the question. It was a nice sound, low and not quite of this world, but it warmed something inside his chest to hear it. Or maybe Taichi just needed to get his head out of the clouds and not fawn over every beautiful stranger he ran into. </p><p>“You can just call me Omi. Despite the circumstances, it really is nice to meet you, but it’s getting quite late. How about you go home and rest for the night and return tomorrow whenever you are free?"</p><p>Taichi could only nod at that, the late hour and the emotional turmoil of the day suddenly catching up to him. After exchanging a few mumbled words of goodbye with Omi, he started his slow trot home. Time seemed to pass quickly and not at all while his mind drifted and he could not remember how he reached the front door of his family’s home. </p><p>He soundlessly entered and made his way to his small room, everything still untouched since he left. No one had noticed his little trip, months of teenage sneaking out experiences finally paying off. He quickly changed into more comfortable nightclothes and was fast asleep the moment his head hit his pillow. </p><p>The kitchen knife he had taken with him still laid forgotten on the torn tatami where he had dropped it in his surprise, the only evidence he had ever been there that night. </p><p> </p><p>It honestly felt like a dream. Taichi was absolutely exhausted the next morning, but he still wrestled his way out of his sheets at sunrise. He had a shift at the local tailor today and he really did not want to make his boss mad. Yuki had a really mean look in his eyes and even more cutting words when he was angry and Taichi really enjoyed working for him. He did not want to lose this job, so he lethargically chewed his rice and went to work. </p><p>After a quiet goodbye to his mother as to not wake his siblings, he slowly walked to the tailor shop. Taichi was still unsure if last night really happened. Any of his doubts were dispelled however, when he heard the whispers of the people on the road.</p><p>“Did you hear about it? It seems like they found the inside of the prayer hall torn apart. The old kannushi started crying at the sight of it! I feel terrible for her. She is such a kind woman and everyone can see how much she cares for the shrine”, a woman carrying a laundry basket told her friend who nodded enthusiastically. “Yes I heard about it this morning. Who would do such a thing?”</p><p>Oh. So not a nightmare. Taichi tried to smile, but it felt exactly like the grimace it was. Of course it would not be so easy. He had made a decision and now he had to shoulder the consequences. With his promise to Omi in mind, he decided to visit the shrine after making dinner for his siblings. For now he had to make it through work without messing up his stitches or Yuki might actually yell at him again.<br/><br/></p><p> </p><p>Taichi loved working at the tailor shop, he really did, but with everything that had happened last night his shift felt like it would never end. Yuki kept on eyeing him suspiciously and it was not his usual ‘your stitches better form a straight line or I will have you remake them until they do’ glare. </p><p>Taichi knew he was getting more distracted than usual, but he was never good at keeping unwanted thoughts from his mind. Still he was trying and eventually got into his usual work flow. That did not stop Yuki from looking into his eyes for an uncomfortable long time after they locked up the shop, awkwardly patting his shoulder and snapping “Stop whining, puppy” before going home. It was almost unsettling and made Taichi determined to try harder during his next shift, so Yuki could go back to normal and stop being this strangely concerned version of himself.</p><p>Determined to tackle one problem at a time, Taichi shoved these thoughts to the back of his head for now and tried to focus on his next task. His father would be working late again and his mother was also busy with an odd job of her own, so the duty of making dinner for the little ones fell to him tonight. </p><p>He loved his younger siblings dearly and jumped at every opportunity to spend time with them inbetween his own work, but dinner with just the three of them was always an exhausting affair. Despite that, he was grateful to be able to take just this one small task off of his mother’s mind. </p><p>The walk home passed in no time and he immediately went to the kitchen to begin dinner preparations. He only knew a few dishes, but his mother taught him how to make the most filling meals out of the ingredients at hand. When it was time to cut the vegetables, he turned to grab his usual kitchen knife. All he found was an empty slot in their knife block and his blood ran cold. He had taken it with him to the shrine and could not remember holding it after his conversation with Omi. Even knowing he would not find it, he went to his room and checked every corner. Nothing. <em> Oh no </em>.</p><p>He was mindlessly hacking vegetables with a different knife while his own thoughts were slowly talking him into another panic. Okay, so his knife was still at the shrine, probably lying in some corner where he had dropped it. That was fine, no problem at all. It was not like anyone <em> knew </em> how their knives looked like. Nothing to worry about. He would just go and ask Omi if he had seen his knife somewhere and then he would take it back home and never think of this again. Easy, right?</p><p><em> But nothing in my life has ever been easy. </em> He thought bitterly while dumping the slightly massacred vegetable pieces into the pot with more force than probably needed. </p><p>Even with his pep talk, Taichi could not stop worrying. His little brother Keita was excitedly telling him about his day while his little sister Mirai was slowly but steadily eating her turnips. He should be delighted, considering the fight she usually put up when it came to her food archnemesis, but he could only smile and nod occasionally without really paying attention to them. He felt guilty for it immediately, but he promised himself to make it up to them once things went back to normal. </p><p>After an adventure of washing the dishes with the help of his siblings, his mother returned home after a long day. She looked as surprised as Taichi had felt that Mirai and Masato had offered to help with chores, but maybe they were more observant than either of them gave them credit for. </p><p>“Dinner is still in the pot if you’re hungry. I want to go to the shrine and see if there is anything I can do to help”, he said while ruffling Mirai’s hair who yelped indignantly. At the door, he kissed his mothers cheek who smiled softly and patted his own in return. “You are such a good child, Taichi. Make sure you don’t stay out too late and be safe, okay?” This caused him to swallow hard to prevent a sudden onslaught of tears. “I will. See you later!”</p><p>After waving to Masato as well he closed the door behind his back and leaned against it for a second, trying to regain his composure. <em> If they only knew. </em></p><p>
  <br/>
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</p><p>Despite visiting the shrine countless of times in his young life it looked different that evening. The staff was hurrying around and lowly whispering to each other as Taichi stood paralysed at the gate. This was his fault. He was going to make up for this somehow.</p><p>He was so lost in thought that he did not notice someone stopping in front of him until they spoke up. “Young Nanao?” It was the kind kannushi and even though she only looked at him with eyes full of trust, he could not help but shrink into himself. Omi might not have killed him for tearing his shrine apart, yet considering how much his heart hurt that might not even be necessary. </p><p>“How bad is the damage?” The word got caught somewhere in his throat and he barely recognised his own voice with how chocked up he sounded. The Kannushi’s eyes softened and it painfully brought him back to way Omi looked at him last night. <em> It makes sense someone like her is in charge of his shrine, they are both very kind. </em></p><p>“The repairs will take a while, but there is nothing that cannot be fixed with time and work. It could have been a lot worse all things considered.” At this he let out a breath he did not realise he was holding. He could fix this.  </p><p>“Is there any way I can help?” His voice sounded desperate to his own ears, but he had to know. Not just because of the deal he made, no, he wanted nothing more than to atone, even if it would not undo his actions.</p><p>If the Kannushi seemed surprised by his insistance, it did not show on her face. “Well, we certainly have our work cut out for us, but are you quite sure? The repairs might stretch on for months and I know how busy you are helping your family, so I really cannot ask this of you.”<br/><br/>Taichi started shaking his head before she even finished speaking. “It’s okay, I will find a way. Please let me help you, I love this place and everyone working here!” The Kannushi studied him for a while. He did not know what she found in his expression, but she eventually nodded and Taichi had to hold back a relieved victory shout.</p><p>
  <br/>
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</p><p>Together they walked around the shrine and talked to several staff members on their way. The damage was still being assessed, so the repairs were scheduled to start at the end of the week. This gave Taichi quite a bit of time to figure out how to fit his new workload inbetween his shifts. Soon after, the Kannushi excused herself to further oversee the repairs and sent Taichi back home. “Your mother must worry if you stay out too late. We have everything handled for now, so feel free to return on the weekend if you are still willing to help.” </p><p>He normally would have heeded her words, but there was something still left to do. He walked around the shrine, trying his best not to get in anyone’s way while he searched for Omi. Where would he even start to look for him?</p><p>Taichi did not need to wander around for long however. He had just passed the prayer hall as he noticed the smaller building behind it and froze. There was no doubt it was the shrine’s honden, where its god was said to reside. And right in front of it, at the top of a stone small staircase that lead to it, stood Omi. The setting sun cast an enchanting glow on him and drew an almost imposing shadow on the ground. There was no mistaking this scene as anything but ethereal. Taichi’s breath caught in his chest. </p><p>The other made it perfectly clear last night that he was not terrible angry with him for his unwanted breaking and entering - emphasis on the breaking -, but what if he had changed his mind? Omi had several hours to reconsider his decision and could easily tear him into a thousand tiny, pathetic pieces instead. He certainly would not fault him for it, considering the damage he caused was likely worth more than all of his organs combined. He pulled a face. <em> That’s kind of gross, Taichi focus. </em></p><p>No tearing apart seemed to happen anytime soon as Omi smiled softly instead and this really was a much preferable outcome. “You came.” He did not sound surprised, but there was a pleased fondness to his voice that made Taichi’s entire body tingle. He did not know if it was a god-thing or an Omi-thing, but it left him with an aching urge to be good for him. He was self-aware enough to hear Yuki calling him an overeager puppy at this in his mind, despite what the other may think about his intellect, thank you very much. <em> Might just be a me-thing then. </em></p><p>“Yeah”, he rasped out dumbly, perfectly aware that the silence had already stretched past comfortable. His voice sounded terribly breathless in a way that clearing your throat could not relieve. Out of any other options, Taichi tried anyways. He felt strangely off-filter in a way that was completely different from last night. </p><p>The fact that the person who had caught him then was, in fact, the god who this shrine was dedicated to, had dawned on him last night already. But he had been so tired and stressed that he hardly processed it at the time. Instead he had more than enough time to panic over it during the day, but it felt more real now that he was facing him again.</p><p>Omi did not look phased by his lack of intelligent response and the now truly uncomfortable silence between them. Instead he seemed to simply study him in return while Taichi could not stop himself from staring. It was hard to tell, but he was pretty sure Omi was wearing the yukata from last night. It was a simple dark blue and hung losely around his frame. Just like last night, his right shoulder and chest were completely bare and he had to fight the urge to cover his face in embarrassement.</p><p>Oh no, could gods read minds? Omi tilted his head to the side and Taichi’s blood ran cold. “Have you eaten dinner already?” Huh, not what he expected. It was nothing about him fawning like a young maiden over seeing a bit of naked skin, so he should be fine, right?</p><p>“Ah yeah, I did before coming here”, he replied instead, hoping that he projected as little of his traitorous thoughts as possible. Omi looked almost disappointed as he nodded, how strange. “That’s good, it is important you take good care of yourself, even with this new responsibility to bear.” </p><p>He trailed off into silence and Taichi shifted awkwardly on his spot, unsure how to continue the conversation himself. A few heartbeats like this passed before Omi spoke up again. </p><p>“Well I do not want to keep you here for nothing. Get home safely and I’ll see you again in a few days?” His smile was almost hopeful and Taichi could not help but nod helplessly, always eager to please. </p><p>As he turned back to walk home, the real reason he sought out Omi in the first place hit him again.</p><p>“Ah wait!”, he shouted as he twirled back around and almost tripped over his own feet in the process. Again. This really needed to stop before it became a habit because honestly? Super lame. At least he did not actually crash into the ground this time. Omi seemed equally as startled as he stared at him with wide eyes and confusion on his face. </p><p>“My knife! I-I mean, have you seen my knife? I dropped it last night and I really like it a lot so I’d like to have it back? I tried looking around the haiden earlier, but I didn’t see it.” </p><p>Omi paused for a second before his face lit up in recognition. “Ah yes, I picked it up after you left. Please wait a moment while I get it.” </p><p>With that he disappeared inside the building and Taichi’s shoulders slumped in relief. None of the staff members had found it, so there was no way any of them could track it back to him. He had feared the worst, but this once everything seemed to turn out fine. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Barely a minute had passed until Omi returned. Taichi was debating if he should come to him or stay out of this area of the shrine that was technically off limits for him, when the god took that decision from him and slowly walked down the staircase. He looked so unfairly elegant and regal during such a simple act that Taichi could barely look at him. </p><p>In a matter of seconds he came to a stop right in front of him and his heartbeat started racing at the proximity. Even one day ago he could have never imagined being this close to an actual god in his life. His mind unhelpfully reminded him of the <em> other </em> god he had met and he surpressed a shudder. With all the worrying about his knife, he completely forgot about what other consequences his actions had possibly in store.</p><p>Before he could fall into another frenzy, Omi gently placed the knife in his hands. It was impossible not to pay attention to the gentle brush of their fingers and Taichi almost dropped the knife the moment Omi stepped back. </p><p>“It is really pretty, I can understand why you like it so much”, he said while his gaze lingered on the handle. The knife was fairly simple except for the small maple leaf engraved at the bottom. Taichi gently ran his finger over the engraving and closed his eyes. </p><p>“Mother got it from her mother when she moved in together with father. It wasn’t much, but it was a little piece of her old home that she brought into her new one. She said she wants me to take it with me as well once I find myself a new home. I really don’t want anything to happen to it before that time comes.” </p><p>He looked up to thank Omi, but upon meeting his eyes the words got stuck in his throat. Omi’s gaze was unwavering in its warmth and he seemed to see right to his core. The gentle smile on his lips did not fade, instead it almost softened. “What a wonderful gift. I am glad I was able to give it back to you. I hope you will continue to take good care of it.”</p><p>Taichi almost wanted to argue that he hardly took care of it last night, yet he settled on a small but heartfelt ‘thank you’ instead. They exchanged goodbyes once more and Taichi started his way back before the sun set completely. Throughtout the entire walk he kept the knife clutched to his chest. It might be his imagination, yet it felt like the warmth of Omi’s hands and smile lingered on the handle and settled in his heart.</p><p>
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</p><p>The weekend came quickly and despite the lingering anxiety that made its home in his bones, Taichi felt mostly at ease as he stepped onto the shrine ground. He was unsure what kind of work was in store for him, but the wait had left an itch under his skin that none of his other jobs were able to alleviate. He was almost immediately greeted by the Kannushi who ushered him to the honden, where the rest of the staff and a few other volunteers were waiting. </p><p>In less than half an hour everyone got their assigned tasks. They would start with replacing the tatami as this was the most elaborate task to be done. Almost everyone was told to help with the removal of the torn up flooring, so Taichi was certain he would be no different, yet, when the Kannushi approached him, it was not with that intent. “Young Nanao, may you come with me for a moment? I have a special task for you while everyone else gets started here.”</p><p>Curious as to what she may ask of him, Taichi followed her through the disbanding crowd of helpers until they came to a stop in front of a young man who was talking animatedly with his much broader companion. “Tsumugi, my dear, do you have a moment?”, the Kannushi spoke up and the smaller man turned towards them with a smile.</p><p>“Of course, what is the matter?” Taichi had seen Tsumugi around the shrine before, but this was the first time he really interacted with him. He knew that the other cared for the greenery around the shrine and recently started to help out at the town’s nursery. Taichi’s own siblings were too old so they never met there either, but he certainly seemed like the perfectly kind shrine worker.</p><p>“I would like you and young Nanao to visit the carpenter so we can order replacements for the tatami. He would likely need to come by and take measurements of our floors as well, so please be so kind and take care of this for me.” Both Tsumugi and Taichi nodded at this.</p><p>“It’s no problem at all, please leave it to us.” Tsumugi then turned to face the other man with an apologetic look on his face. “I’m sorry Tachan, but I’ll talk to you later. Do you still want to eat lunch together?” The man, whose name was probably not Tachan, nodded before awkwardly patting Tsumugi’s shoulder. “Let’s get the fried eggs you like so much. See you later.” With that, he left and Tsumugi faced them again, looking so visibly delighted that Taichi could not help smiling back.</p><p>Next to him, the Kannushi chuckled softly. “So this is Tachan, hm?” She sounded rather amused for some reason. In response Tsumugi ducked his head with a sheepish expression. It might have been the lightning, but his cheeks looked faintly red. </p><p>“Let’s go, so the flooring can be replaced quickly, Nanao-san”, Tsumugi said hurriedly and started walking towards the entrance. Taichi, unsure about the sudden rush but happy to follow regardless, moved to catch up with him while the Kannushi laughed in delight and shook her head at their backs. “Just Taichi is fine, Tsumugi-san!”</p><p>
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</p><p>The walk to the carpenter only took them a few minutes that they spent chatting pleasantly. The shop was small and homely as they waited for the owner to see to them. It did not take long until a tall man moved closer and stared at them. Taichi shared an unsure glance with Tsumugi as they heard a snort from the back of the shop.</p><p>“Tetsuro, start using your words. Not everyone can understand you as well as I can.” Another man carrying a few wooden logs entered the room, looking vaguely amused. “He is asking how he can help you.”</p><p>“Oh really?” Tsumugi sounded as surprised as Taichi felt. “Ah, in that case, we were sent by the Kannushi. You probably heard about what happened to the shrine so we came to ask if you can make new tatami for the flooring for us.” Tetsuro only nodded in response. </p><p>In the silence that followed, the two of them glanced at the other man in the shop, who looked at Tetsuro with a raised eyebrow. After another minute passed, Tetsuro started speaking. “Yuzo and I will come by in two days for measurements” was all he said.</p><p>Having done all they were sent to do, Tsumugi and Taichi exchanged awkward goodbyes with Yuzo and Tetsuro, who only nodded at them, before making their way back to the shrine. </p><p>
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</p><p>The sun was already high in the sky when they returned. The two informed the Kannushi of Tetsuro’s appointment before Tsumugi spotted the mysterious Tachan from earlier. “Ah Tachan, I mean Tasuku, seems to be finished as well. Thank you for coming with me Taichi, I hope you will enjoy your lunch break”, he said with a kind smile before joining his friend near the shrine entrance. </p><p>Taichi watched as they greeted each other and Tasuku took Tsumugi’s hand. Feeling like an intruder, he quickly tore his eyes away as he felt his face heat up. <em> Ah, maybe not a friend then. </em></p><p>Unsure of what to do with himself, he wandered aimlessly around the shrine. Almost everyone seemed to have left to eat, so he was alone. He considered his options when he heard someone clear their throat behind him. Startled, he turned around only to find Omi looking at him. </p><p>“Oh! Didn’t see you there Omi”, he said intelligently and immediately wanted to bury his face in his hands. Why was he like this? Omi did not seem to mind however and just smiled at his blundering. </p><p>“I heard you were helping out today. I’m surprised how many people showed up to lend a hand, but it makes me really happy to see them care so much. It’s gotten kind of late pretty quickly. Did you bring any food for lunch with you?” </p><p>Taichi slowly shook his head. “Honestly, I forgot about that. I’m not really sure what I’ll do yet, but I don’t really want to go home and bother mother either. We usually eat earlier than this so I would just be a nuisance.” He shrugged his shoulders, feeling at a loss. Omi frowned at him and the troubled expression on his face made Taichi want to reassure him. Still, he kept his mouth shut as the other seemed to be considering something. </p><p>Omi apparently came to some sort of conclusion as he looked up at him again. “I could make you something for lunch, only if that is okay with you of course.” Taichi blinked at him in surprise. “You can cook?” It was probably rude how incredolous he sounded, but he just really did not expect this. Omi just nodded, looking kind of embarrassed.</p><p>“I know that I don’t really have any need for food, but cooking relaxes me and I can make use of the offerings people leave at the shrine.” It made sense, but Taichi’s brain seemed to freeze every time he tried to imagine Omi at a hearth, wearing an apron. </p><p>Before he could make even more of a fool of himself, he nodded with perhaps a bit too much enthusiasm. “That sounds really great, I would love to try your food! I hope it’s not too much of a bother…”, he trailed off uncertainly, but Omi only shook his head.</p><p>“Not at all, I was the one who offered it after all. Come inside then”, he smiled invitingly as he started walking towards the honden. Taichi, still feeling a bit unsure about stepping onto closed off property even though the local god invited him personally, trailed behind him slowly until they came to a stop before the entrance. He looked at the other to see Omi hesitating softly and was about to say something when Omi slowly opened the door. </p><p>Unsure of what to expect from the living space of a god, Taichi hesitated to follow Omi inside. </p><p>The room was modestly sized contrary to his expectations. It contained only the most basic of furniture while still feeling homely and warm. In the middle of the room sat a low table with seating cushions on the floor. There were plenty of books and scriptures stacked in shelves at the walls that Taichi yearned to touch even though he could not read. The kitchen area was located in a corner at the back of the room, Taichi could see a stove and an assortment of pots and pans from his position near the door.</p><p>“Please come in and have a seat, Taichi”, Omi said kindly while he made his way to the stove. Not wanting to intrude further than he had to, Taichi obliged and took a seat on one of the cushions at the table. </p><p>He could hear rummaging as Omi looked through what seemed to be a storage for vegetables. “Is there anything you particularily dislike?” His voice sounded distracted as he looked into another basket. </p><p>Taichi considered this. “I’m not really fond of liver, but other than that anything is good”, he said as he decided that admitting to this would be less of a bother than Omi actually preparing a dish like that and him not liking it. </p><p>Omi just nodded as he started to pour water into the pots he placed on the stove. “That is no problem at all. Please make yourself at home while I prepare lunch.” </p><p>Taichi hummed and took a look around the room. His eyes went over a door that he could only guess led to a bathroom. <em>Do gods have bathrooms?</em> <em>They don’t exactly need them, but this place was built by humans for him so who knows? Well I would certainly need it at some point so good thing it’s there, right? Honestly Taichi, why are you thinking about this so much, it’s not like you’re about to regularily have lunch with the village’s guardian deity!</em></p><p>
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</p><p>He did, in fact, have lunch and even dinner regularily with Omi. </p><p>It started out harmlessly enough that day, with a simple rice and vegetable dish that tasted better than anything Taichi had ever eaten in his entire short life. He tried his best to mind his manners, but the underlying anxiousness of the day had left him starving and tearing through second helpings in record time. Omi only seemed pleased at his enthusiasm, Taichi forcefully ignored the vaguely amused glint he saw in the other’s eyes for the sake of his own pride. </p><p>After that instance they fell into a sort of pattern. The reparations progressed slowly but steadily and Taichi poured his all into helping out with replacing what he had torn apart after his usual shifts. It was exhausting and left him on the brink of his strength yet he did not mind. Even though the guilt of his action might never disappear completely, he felt at ease around the other workers, speaking happily with the Kannuchi or sharing stories with Tsumugi and sometimes even Tasuku while they worked together. </p><p>It was both easier and more difficult at home with Taichi so thoroughly working to capacity. His mother had found a new job that allowed her to prepare lunch for Masato and Mirai every day. And even though Taichi mostly helped out at the shrine during the evening, lunch breaks of his other shifts never seemed to overlap with his mother’s. At first he started getting up earlier to pack himself an easily prepared but filling bento for work, but his body could feel every minute of sleep it was not getting.</p><p>Omi had observed him with obvious concern for a couple of days before he asked about the growing bags under his eyes. The day after his explaination, the god wordlessly handed him a tastefully wrapped box during his morning visit to the shrine and told him to leave this task to him from now on. Taichi was certain his face stayed flushed for the entire day and it was a surprise that he did not combust on the spot when Yuki laughed at his lovingly packed meal with equal parts delight and maliciousness. </p><p>Taichi curiously turned the small charm in his hands that he had found wrapped in the cloth next to the bento. It was shaped like small leaf and made out of dark wood, bound to a thin leather string. It looked roughly made all things considered, but it felt like something to be treasured. He ran his thumb over the charm one more time before he put it around his neck, making sure Yuki was too distracted with his own food to watch him. The leaf brushed against his chest and with it a feeling that he could not name yet settled in his heart right besides it.</p><p>If Taichi had a bigger ego, he might believe that Omi actually liked cooking for him and talking him into staying until long after the sun had set and his siblings had gone to bed. He did not, but it was still very nice to be able to talk to Omi about everything and nothing at all. </p><p>It felt utterly surreal whenever Taichi considered the situation more closely, so he made a habit of not thinking about it at all. He was more than aware of how completely undeserving he was of this much divine attention, but he had always been something of an opportunist. So if Omi wanted to spoil him with wonderful food and even better company, well, who was he to deny a god?<br/><br/></p><p> </p><p>The days passed so smoothly that Taichi should have expected this, really. </p><p>He was just walking home after the end of a grueling day filled with Yuki’s nagging and heavy lifting at the shrine. The new flooring had arrived and all free hands were needed to carry the tatami and fit them into their new places. Taichi was no stranger to manual labour, yet he was also not nearly as strong as Tasuku, so his whole body seemed to ache with every step he took and his arms felt strangely heavy. He knew he would feel a lingering soreness for days and a small part of him was pleased with this physical mark of his redemption.</p><p>The biggest part of his brain, however, simply wanted to curl up and sleep at home, his stomach already warmed by another one of Omi’s delicious meals. How someone with no need for food could prepare it so well was still a mystery to Taichi, but he decided early on that questioning the things Omi did was pointless. </p><p>God or not, he found there should be a limit to how perfect one person should be. Knitting, felting, crocheting - things Taichi rarely ever did himself, yet skills Omi had aquired in his long existance for reasons still unknown to him. At least he felt slightly confident in his sewing skills after months of Yuki’s rigorous training and yelling.</p><p>With his thoughts so distracted by everything Omi was, as he found them to be very often these past weeks, he only registered something was not right after a few minutes of silence. He slowed to a stop while looking around in confusion. A slowly dawning sense of horror crept up on him as he took in his surroundings.</p><p>The last workers, who were dragging themselves to their warm homes this late at night, stood frozen. The slight breeze that was blowing a moment ago was gone. The night sky seemed to darken even further. The temperature had dropped several degrees, but Taichi could not sense it over the chill settling deeply in his bones.</p><p>At this point he was no stranger to the divine, but he had only experienced this once before.</p><p>“It has been quite a while, little one”, a pleasant voice spoke up out of nowhere. Taichi’s body refused to move, yet even without turning around he knew that he would not find anyone behind him. The words sounded airy and disembodied, completely different from Omi’s warm and low voice. They seemed to drape over him like a sticky net and he was the helpless bug caught in the web of this overgrown spider hiding behind a human form. </p><p>Taichi’s heart did not seem to be able to decide between beating out of his chest and stopping completely. A little voice in his head whispered to him that maybe dying on the spot would be the less painful option. </p><p>Even without any physical form in sight, he could feel the god’s anger rising at his silence. And while Taichi did not have many skills, talking himself into trouble was certainly high on his short list.</p><p>“Aaaah, good evening-”, he tried to say as casually as he could, but he drew up a blank on the other’s name yet again, making him trail off awkwardly. The temperature went down another degree and Taichi shivered. Brushing past his misstep with the most ungraceful laugh, he rubbed his hands together and tried again. He had absolutely no clue where he was going with this.</p><p>Before he could make a fool out of himself once more, the voice cut him off the moment he opened his mouth. “We had an agreement, did we not, you useless insect?”, they snarled icily, every pretense of politeness gone. Taichi was fairly certain he had already gone into shock because the only thing he could focus on was his earlier spider metaphora being confirmed by the god themself. <em> So much for people saying I have no talent for arts, take that Yuki. </em> </p><p>In the blink of an eye, the god finally materialised right in front of him. Their face was completely distorted with rage and they were so close that Taichi could feel cold air wafting off of their skin. He was not sure if it was because of the sudden drop in temperature, but the charm on his necklace strangely felt warmer than before. The god snarled and grabbed his chin in an iron grasp, tilting his head <em> up and up and up </em>. </p><p><em> They definitely are much taller this time </em> , he thought distractedly. Their hand burned like ice on his skin and he was distantly aware of his body shaking. <em> Yup, I think this is how shock feels like. </em></p><p>“You have quite the nerve <em> human. </em> ” And <em> wow did he say that with an unbelievable amount of disgust </em>. “You will learn what it means to try to make a fool out of the great Reni and it shall not be a pleasant lesson.” The hand on his face slid lower until it settled around his throat. </p><p>Taichi’s heart felt like it was close to collapsing as it beat wildly in his chest and the hand started squeezing. There was a distinctly inhuman strength in their grip and Taichi knew that the other could crush his windpipe without a second thought if they so desired. It seemed unlikely that Reni, which was apparently the name of his demise, would let him get off this easily though. They would draw this out until the lack of oxygen burned hotter than the time he accidentally touched the stove in their kitchen as a child.</p><p>The situation felt so unreal that a laugh got stuck in his closing throat. It hitched into a sob halfway up, but it did not matter either way since no sounds could escape from his mouth anymore. Every single instinct in him was screaming at Taichi to kick and struggle, to do anything to escape the hellish nightmare he was currently living. But all of his muscles seemed to be locked in place as the sheer presence of this otherwordly creature overpowered him completely.</p><p>Unable to look into their piercing eyes much longer, Taichi squeezed his own shut. He thought of his parents, who he could not support anymore and his younger siblings, who he could never repay for his absence these past weeks. He thought of Yuki, who would wait for him in vain tomorrow morning. He thought of the Kannushi’s unwavering trust in him and how he was never able to face her and apologise for what he had done. He thought of Tsumugi and Tasuku and the easy company he found working by their side. And he thought of <em> Omi, Omi, Omi. </em> </p><p>Omi was kind and caring, an easy presence that settled into his mundane life and gave him a kind of warmth he had not known before. But now everything felt so cold, he could barely feel his aching body anymore. He was so tired.</p><p>The air shifted with a different kind of rage the moment Taichi lost conciousness.</p><p>
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</p><p>The second Taichi groggigly woke up again, he immediately regretted it. He could feel a vague sense of nausea growing with every second he spent concious. Unwilling to think too hard about anything at all, he just let himself drift for a moment while he tried to focus on the state of his body. </p><p>It was hard to think through the raging headache that was building up, so it was probably better to keep his eyes closed for now. His breathing seemed to be doing okay, considering-</p><p>
  <em> Considering nothing. We’re not dealing with that right now. </em>
</p><p>Taichi focused back on his breathing, controlling the way the air went in and out of his lungs. It sounded a bit raspy, but not particularily concerning. What was bothering him more was the phantom pressure he still felt on his throat. It was really uncomfortable and brought with it a lot of unpleasant memories that he would rather avoid for now or hopefully forever.</p><p>Swallowing just made it worse as he immediately broke into a coughing fit that rattled him to the bone. He easily missed the distressed sound coming from above his head while the fit stretched on for two painful minutes. An assortment of aches flared up in almost every part of his body, so his brain did not process the sensation of someone gently rubbing his back until the coughing slowly died down. </p><p>Blinking sluggishly against the sudden flood of visual sensation of opening his eyes after an unknown amount of time, he slowly lifted his head. He did not realise just how much he had curled into himself. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust before he looked at Omi’s concerned expression.</p><p>Taichi still felt horrible, yet he could not help but smile at him. The aches and pains took a backseat in his mind because Omi was here with him, so everything would definitely be okay. It always was when they were together. Not just because he was a god, but because he was <em> Omi </em>: reliable and kind and always looking out for him. </p><p>Maybe it was just his imagination, but the shadows in the other’s eyes seemed to clear up while some tension left his shoulders. After this short moment of hesitation, Omi finally smiled back at him. It seemed slightly off, but it was still incredibly comforting, so Taichi would take it for now.</p><p>They stayed silent for a while, just enjoying this short moment of peace after everything that had happened. Taichi was faintly surprised to realise he was sitting in Omi’s lap, but he was hardly going to complain. If Omi graciously, in all his benevolent kindness, placed Taichi in his own lap <em> himself </em> then the last thing he would do was try to get up, mind you. </p><p>It was very easy to not really think about everything that happened while he rested his head against Omi’s shoulder. This was the longest physical contact they had ever shared and it left a warmth in his body not unlike the warm rays of the summer sun. <em> Considering Omi was worshiped as the god of bountiful harvests among other things, this comparison might not be too far off actually. </em></p><p>“Are you feeling better?”, Omi whispered. He seemed as unwilling to disturb the quiet that had settled over them as Taichi felt. Not ready to test his voice just yet, he only nodded in response. Omi simply hummed and ran his hand through Taichi’s hair in one magnificent, smooth motion before it fell away again. He already missed its presence painfully. </p><p>“Let’s head back, so you can rest properly. I can just carry you back, so do not worry about getting up and exhausting yourself.” Omi gently stood without leaving Taichi much of a chance to protest. He did not really want to either because he slowly felt his long day catch up to him again and he would really rather not move for a few hours. </p><p>Being carried by Omi was just as nice as sitting on his lap, Taichi learned. It was likely that he was being held like this before he came to again too and he experienced something annoyingly close to grief at not being awake during that moment. He never dreamed he would be wrapped in Omi’s strong, <em> wonderful </em> arms. Fighting down his embarrassment, he chanced a look at the other’s face only to realise that there was no trace of any sort of strain in his expression. Taichi barely suppressed a huff at that, impressed and maybe just a little in love despite himself. <em> Figures. </em></p><p>
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</p><p>The rest of the walk back passed in a blur as Taichi’s mind drifted comfortably. He was almost asleep by the time Omi stepped into the honden, but he felt a bit more awake after his savior struggled to open the mysterious door from before. It took a bit of shifting, but Omi managed it without putting him down which would be impressing if Taichi still had the brain capacity left to think about it enough. </p><p>What waited for them on the other side was not, as he previously assumed, a bathroom, but instead a huge amount of blankets. It did not seem right to call the place a bedroom because it was completely empty except for the frankly obscenely large futon covering almost the entire floor and said blankets. </p><p>Without a word, Omi gently lowered him onto the bedding and turned towards the abbundance of wool and cotton near the walls. Taichi just stared at him as Omi carefully selected some of the blankets for unknown reasons while neatly putting others back in their old places. There must be over two dozens of them, Taichi had never seen this many blankets at once in his life. <em> Why are there so many? Does Omi even sleep? </em></p><p>Despite the baffling number of them, he seemed to know exactly which ones he was looking for and it only took him a few minutes to gather whichever he had in mind. He then turned to slowly drape them over Taichi one after the other, some covering him while others were gently pushed under his body to cushion his back further. </p><p>It was very nice, but also incredibly embarassing. No one had tucked him in since he was a small child and even then never this thoroughly. Taichi tried his best to stare at the ceiling and pretend that his face was not about to catch on fire, but with little success. He hoped that Omi was too busy with the task at hand to look at him too closely.</p><p>Omi himself did not give any indication on the matter whatsoever as he leaned back once he deemed Taichi properly wrapped up for the night. Taichi felt safe enough to look at him again as they simply stayed like this for a moment.</p><p>“Thank you”, Taichi said into the quiet because even though he was still flustered, it felt really nice to be cared for like this. And it was not just being buried in blankets and given a place to sleep for the night. It did not take a genius to figure out the reason he was still alive - he did not want to imagine how the night could have ended if Omi had not stepped in when he did. He really needed to thank him properly, but all he wanted to do right now was sleep.</p><p>“Anytime, Taichi”, Omi said, but he could barely hear it anymore as a sudden wave of exhaustion crashed over him. It only took another minute until he was asleep.</p><p>
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</p><p>Taichi woke suffocated by blankets and with the sun shining directly into his eyes, but he still felt more rested than in the past few months. He rubbed the crust out of his eyes and then quickly wiped his hand over his mouth. <em> Not again, damnit.  </em></p><p>He hastily glanced around the room and was relieved to find no trace of Omi anywhere. So he did not witness his little sleeping accident. The day was not ruined yet, good. </p><p>Now that his first heart attack of the day was avoided and he could actually see properly, Taichi looked around the mysterious room again. It really was nothing but the futon and the hoard of blankets everywhere. <em> Just where did he get this many? And why? </em></p><p>Deciding to investigate the matter some more, he pulled one of the blankets on top of him closer to his face and carefully ran his fingers over the fabric. It was really soft and well-made, but the pattern was none Taichi had ever seen at the town’s weaver. Following some uncontrollable impulse, he slowly rubbed his right cheek against it as well. <em> Definitely cotton. </em></p><p>“Did you sleep well?”</p><p>Caught in such an awkward moment, Taichi let out a little yelp and dropped the blanket as if it had burned him. He debated if he should bury his face in his hands or just die on the spot. Despite the convincing arguments for both of these options, he chose to be brave for once in his life and looked Omi in the eyes, pretending he was not screaming inside. </p><p>Omi’s expression was kind as usual and if there was amusement in his eyes, well, Taichi had been called unobservent before and why should this situation be any different? He tried to soldier on instead. “Yeah I really did! All the blankets were really nice as well. Where did you get this many?”, he decided the best course of action was to just move the conversation somewhere else entirely and it was a good opportunity to get some answers for once.</p><p>“Oh, I actually made them myself. The villagers often leave the materials as offerings for a bountiful harvest and it’s better than just having them lying around. I mean, they are still lying around in a way, but I have a lot of time anyways and it’s fun to do.”</p><p>That… actually made a lot of sense. Taichi was already aware of Omi’s seemingly endless list of crafting skills, so this was not really anything new. It was still <em> really </em> impressive.</p><p>“They are so nice! Is there anything you can’t do?”, he asked incredulously because honestly, until now he did not stumble across a single flaw in Omi. How was that fair?</p><p>Omi just laughed warmly at him and shook his head. “Oh there are plenty really. I just learned most of these things because I had a lot of time to practise them. But aren’t you hungry? You have been asleep for quite a while after all.”</p><p>As if Taichi’s body had waited for its cue, his stomach started growling loudly at the sheer mention of food. Omi laughed again, but Taichi could not find it in himself to feel too embarrassed at it. He sounded... happy. It was hard to feel bad about anything at all.</p><p>
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</p><p>It turned out that Omi had already prepared a late breakfast for him which was eagerly devoured and tasted as amazing as all his other meals did. With his basic needs taken care of, he was able to focus on more important things, like his job for the day and going home. </p><p>
  <em> He did not go home last night.  </em>
</p><p>Something must have shown on his face because before he could freak out too much, Omi placed a hand on his arm. “It will be fine, just tell them you stayed over because you worked late on the repairs. The Kannushi will not mind”, he suggested. It was a sound idea, but one thing was still worrying Taichi.</p><p>“Will the Kannushi really be alright with that? What do I even tell her? It’s not like I can say I slept in the honden, a sacred place only for the gods. Even if I had your permission, she would hardly believe me. None of the staff ever see you, right?”</p><p>Omi scratched his neck sheepishly and stayed silent. “...So she <em> does </em> know you, huh. Is that even allowed?” Omi just shrugged at that. </p><p>“It is not really how it is supposed to be, but she has a tendency to find out about everything. I try to avoid most of the staff as best as I can so she should be the only one who ever saw me. Sometimes we have tea together after everyone else left, but she always refuses to come inside.”</p><p>Taichi could not help but smile, that sounded just like her. “I guess that is one thing taken care of then. I don’t have a shift today so I will come back for more repair work with Tsumugi-san and Tasuku-san in the evening. I should probably go home for now and hope I didn’t worry anyone too much.”<br/><br/></p><p> </p><p>Feeling suddenly anxious to go home, both of them quickly said their goodbyes before Taichi rushed home. He did not usually spend the night somewhere else and especially not without telling anyone first, but he just hoped that being a grown-up would put his mother at ease.</p><p>Once he reached the front door of their little house, he could hear voices inside. It was around lunchtime, so it seemed likely that mother was cooking a meal for the little ones. He slowly opened the door and stepped inside. Masato was giggling and probably annoying Mirai again with his boundless energy if her grumbling was anything to go by. Besides their ruckus, Taichi could also hear faint shuffling coming from the kitchen area. </p><p>Deciding to leave his siblings to their own devices for now, he quietly peaked inside the room. He was immediately greeted by the delicious smell of stew slowly simmering on the stove and his mother’s faint humming as she leisurely stirred whatever she was preparing. It was such a familiar sight that he could feel the last bit of tension draining from his body. </p><p>“Don’t just stand there, silly. Why don’t you come in and tell me where you were?”, she laughed while still facing the pot. Feeling caught, he sheepishly scratched the side of his neck as he stepped into the kitchen.</p><p>“Good morning, mother. Sorry that I didn’t come back earlier, I was helping out at the shrine and it got so late that the Kannushi offered to let me stay the night. I hope I didn’t worry you or father too much”, he lied easily, but with a heavy heart while watching her add her special mixture of seasoning to the stew.</p><p>His mother just hummed before she turned around and frowned at him. The expression was very effective at making him feel like a scolded ten year old. “That was really kind of her, but I still wish there would have been a way to let me know. I know you are a big boy now, but I still can’t help but worry, you know? Once a mother, always a mother, I suppose”, she laughed then and took the pot from the fire.</p><p>“Are you hungry? You know there is always more than enough for everyone so feel free to join us if you want! Oh and Yuki asked for you earlier. Something has come up that he needs an extra pair of hands with, but it didn’t sound incredibly urgent. Still, it’s never a good idea to leave him waiting for too long”, she mused and Taichi could only nod at that. Yuki was many things, but patient was not really one of them.</p><p>“It’s alright, I’ve already eaten before I came home. I think I will just drop by the tailor and see what Yuki needs. I’m not sure how long it will take, but I also want to go back to the shrine in the evening. The Kannushi wants us to place the last of the tatami today, so we can move on to the other repairs.”</p><p>His mother nodded thoughtfully. “So you will eat dinner at the shrine again? You’ve been doing that quite often, I hope it’s not too much of a bother.”</p><p>“I worried about that too, but they told me that it’s fine and it’s just really convenient, so I’d like to take them up on the offer.” And honestly, he <em> had </em> worried about being a bother, but Omi had insisted, so he would hardly miss a chance to taste his wonderful cooking.</p><p>At that, his mother also seemed convinced. “I’m glad they are taking care of you. You work so hard, it’s the least you deserve. You really are such a good boy.” She softly ruffled Taichi’s hair, ignoring his embarrassed protest. “Now go dear, before Yuki gets impatient.” </p><p>Unable to argue with that, he said goodbye to his siblings, feeling heartbroken at their pouts because he was leaving again already. One day he would shower them in attention, he promised!</p><p>
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</p><p>It turned out that Yuki got a new delivery of fabrics that needed to be stored away. Nothing complicated, but still a lot of work for a single pair of hands. Both of them fell into a comfortable silence as they organised and folded the new materials. </p><p>It was an easy task and Taichi found his thoughts drifting. He really did want to thank Omi for everything he had done for him. But what did he even have to offer an immortal god? </p><p>He remembered the charm still resting around his neck. Maybe it did not have to be anything grand. It could just be something heartfelt instead. But what could be the right thing?<br/><br/></p><p> </p><p>He spent the entire afternoon thinking about it, but he was clueless. Everything that came to mind just did not feel right and it was frustrating to no end. He had gone back home and was currently lying on his futon, hoping the ceiling might have new ideas for him, but no such luck. </p><p>All of this thinking had made him thirsty though, so he walked into the kitchen to get some water. As he finished his glass, something caught his eye. His favourite knife was back in its usual place next to their assortment of other cooking tools. It was soothing to see it there, <em> and yet... </em></p><p>But no, he was getting way ahead of himself. There had to be something else.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>He did not have anything else when he returned to the shrine as the sun was already setting on the horizon. Just thinking about his gift made his face heat up, but he was a man on a mission and it was too late to turn back anyways. </p><p>He carefully pushed his wrapped present under a bush near the shrine entrance so he had his hands free for now. He prayed that no one saw him or found his little bundle. Thinking about losing it now after all the anxiety left a bad taste in his mouth.</p><p>Satisfied with his hiding spot, Taichi stood up again and brushed some dirt from his knees before walking towards the prayer hall. He could see the volunteers gathered around the last tatami in front of the entrance, chatting with each other while they waited for the Kannushi to arrive. </p><p>He was about to join them when a hand gently touched his shoulder. He almost jumped out of his skin, too on edge after the unpleasant surprise yesterday, but when he turned around, he came face to face with the Kannushi. Taichi swallowed down his sigh of relief and smiled at her. She studied him for a moment with a sympathetic expression on her face. After his talk with Omi earlier today, he could not help but wonder how much she knew about what had happened. </p><p>“It is good to see you again, young Nanao. You look well rested, what a relief. You gave me quite the scare when he carried you here. Please take care of yourself. My heart can only handle so much and I am sure he feels quite similar about the matter.” Her smile grew slightly at her own words and she had to audacity to <em> wink </em> at him. </p><p>With a soft pat to his cheek, she walked towards the crowd and told them about the plans for tonight, leaving him behind dumbfounded. After she finished her speech - that Taichi did not catch a single word of -, all the workers started to group around individual mats to lift them. Most of them had done this many times before by now, so they all worked together seemlessly. </p><p>Taichi himself joined Tasuku and Tsumugi at their tatami who nodded and greeted him with a smile respectively. They took care of their mat with the help of two other people, that he had seen around the village before, in silence. </p><p>Since most of the flooring had been replaced by now, the three took a short break together. Tsumugi spoke of his day at the nursery while Tasuku just occasionally offered any stories of his own, but it was obvious to Taichi how drawn he was to his boyfriend’s every word. They were casually holding hands under the shadows of the trees and it was nice to feel trusted with this. </p><p>He could not help, but wonder how it would feel like. It had been a long time since he held someone’s hand as a child, not including his siblings of course. He chanced a quick glance at their linked hands. Tasuku’s hand was slightly bigger and wider than Tsumugi’s, which made sense. Omi’s hands were also pretty big now that he thought about it. Not that he had paid attention to them or anything like that, that would be ridiculous. Seeing their hands together just made him think, that was all. </p><p>Maybe it was time to stop thinking so much about things that would not happen. But he was never any good at not getting his hopes up. Still, it was nice. To be with these two and to dream. Dreaming would not hurt anyone except for his feelings maybe, but that was nothing new. He could handle that.<br/><br/></p><p> </p><p>As Taichi stared at the closed door of the honden, he was not so sure if he could handle this anymore. The last traces of the sun were disappearing behind the mountains and everyone had gone home after a short celebratory meal for completing the tedious replacement work. There were still some decorations left to mend and the drum to fix, but the biggest part was done and they deserved this thank you for all their hard work these past weeks. </p><p>Taichi was pretty sure that Omi had contributed to the food to a small extand. He was intimately familiar with his cooking by now and he felt relatively confident in being able to recognise it. It left him wondering again just how aware the shrine staff was of his existence. Considering the Kannushi had given him an encouraging smile on his way to retrieve his hidden bundle, he figured he did not really want to know. This was embarassing enough without her knowing looks, well-meaning as they were. A part of him wanted to ask, but he was mortified as it was.</p><p>Nervously he fidgeted with the wrapped box in his hands. The cloth was one of the first things he had sewn together under Yuki’s watchful gaze. The stitches were all uneven and he could still remember the annoyance in his boss’ voice. It took him a while to get used to the craft, but he was glad he stuck around. Despite the other’s prickliness, working at Yuki’s tailor shop was his favourite job. </p><p>It was a nostalgic treasure, but now he was worried about giving something so blatantly amateur to the god of household of all things. It felt right when he picked it up at home and wrapped it around the wooden box. He just hoped Omi would not look at it too closely.</p><p>All that just brought up the matter of what was in the box. Despite his initial reluctance, he did pick out his knife as the gift. A part of him ached to part with it so soon, but he was certain of his decision. </p><p>It was embarassing and maybe more than a little cheesy, but being with Omi and eating his food while talking about everything and nothing at all felt like home. It was quieter than the home with his family, but it felt just as right. </p><p>He could almost forget how different Omi was from him and how foolish all of this was. What could a lowly human, fated to disappear from the world again in the blink of an eye, offer a revered god? </p><p>Taichi did not know why Omi let him - no, <em> encouraged </em> him to stick around. He probably already forgot the importance of this knife to him. <em> But if not… </em></p><p>He did not know how he would face him if he remembered. His heart was beating wildly at the thought, but he could not tell if it was excitement or anxiety he was feeling. </p><p>
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</p><p>It was already growing darker by the time Taichi gathered his courage to finally knock on the door of the honden. A moment of silence followed and he debated if he should call out to him, when Omi gently slid the door open. He did not seem surprised by his late visit which just flustered him even more. Did he hear him pacing in front of the door? Oh gods.</p><p>“Taichi”, he simply said in greeting and wow, it felt like no one ever said his name like that before. He did not know what it was, but it sure felt like a lot to handle for his already frayed nerves. Omi simply waited for him to gather the broken pieces of his composure. He was casually leaning against the doorframe and it was unfair how effortlessly cool he looked. </p><p>Despite that, his open calm helped Taichi to find his words. “Sorry to bother you this late. It’s just…”, he trailed off awkwardly and quickly looked at Omi again. When had he averted his eyes? Omi just smiled encouraging, full of patience as always. It did wonders for his nerves, just as it always did. Omi’s smiles really were the best.</p><p>“I wanted to thank you. You’ve done so much for me ever since we met, even if you really, <em> really </em>had no reason to at all. But you were always kind to me, even after what I’ve done. And then you literally saved my life. I don’t know how I can ever repay you for that.”</p><p>At this, Omi frowned and interrupted him kindly but firmly. “You do not have to do anything for me. I saved you because I care about you, not because I want anything in return. Just seeing you safe is enough for me.” </p><p>And there was a lot to unpack in that sentence, wasn’t there? The words ‘I care about you’ echoed in his mind, but his gift was still in his own hands so he could not start overthinking just yet. Determined to finish what he set out to do, he stepped forward with a confidence he did not really feel.</p><p>“I know that, but I want to. You are so good to me and you deserve something in return. Truth be told, I wasn’t sure what to give you…” He took a deep breath before holding the wrapped box towards Omi. “But I really want you to have this.”</p><p>Omi looked at the bundle in surprise and then back to Taichi’s face. After a moment of hesitation that seemed like a small lifetime, he reached out and took the gift from his sweaty hands. Omi looked into his eyes again as if to ask if he should open it right away. Taichi just nodded at him, so Omi slowly unwrapped the cloth.</p><p>The box itself was an unassuming wooden thing, but when Omi lifted the lid he let out a soft gasp. He looked up at Taichi again with wide eyes. “This is...” <em> So he did remember after all. </em> </p><p>“I- yeah. It is. Don’t take it the wrong way! This is just-” At this he trailed off again, unsure. What <em> was </em> it? This knife had history, both in his family and between the two of them and no matter how he tried to turn it around in his head, it felt like a promise. Of something. He did not know what.</p><p>Maybe it was. But that was just him getting ahead of himself again.</p><p>Omi blinked a few times before his lips stretched into a small, but truly blinding smile. He slowly ran a finger over the small engraving on the handle before carefully closing the box and wrapping the cloth around it again. His eyes lingered on a spot where Taichi knew a trail of uneven stitches ran through the cotton. The warmth in Omi’s eyes burned hotter than the embarassement in his veins.</p><p>“Thank you so much for this gift. I promise that I will treasure it”, he said with so much conviction that Taichi’s heart did a funny little flop in his chest. Gods, this was seriously bad news.</p><p>
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</p><p>He decided not think about anything at all on his way home. He just followed the familiar path he had walked so many times by now while he relished in the warm feeling in his chest. Only once he closed the front door of his home did he let out a breath he had not realised he was holding and leaned his back against it. He could hear the faint sound of running feet down the hall. </p><p>A few seconds later, a small shadow tore through the living room door and ran towards him. The figure did not slow down at all until it slammed against his body with a soft giggle. Taichi was relieved he was still leaning against the door because otherwise they would both be sprawled on the floor now. The kids really were growing up much too quickly.</p><p>Lanky arms wrapped around his waist and he easily pulled Miraii closer to him in return. It had been a while since they last really had a calm moment to themselves like this, with all the work that had been piling up lately. It was nice, leaving one home to return to the other. </p><p>Realising just how dark it was getting outside, he softly pushed her away to give her a stern big brother look. “Shouldn’t you be in bed, Mi-chan?”, he asked sceptically while looking around to see if their mother was around. Mirai just pouted at him as she let go of him completely. He missed her warmth around him already.</p><p>“Maaaaybe. But only if you tell me a story?”, she said cheekily, but the hopeful look in her eyes betrayed her. It had been a while since she last asked for one, but when she was younger, she had always insisted on getting a bedtime story from whoever was around. Mirai must have really missed him to bargain for one now, instead of more dessert tomorrow as she usually did. Taichi did not have to think twice before agreeing.</p><p>With a quiet cheer, Mirai grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the room she shared with Masato. The younger boy was sleeping soundly on his futon, but he was a deep sleeper so Taichi did not worry too much about waking him up.</p><p>He sat on his knees next to Mirai’s futon on the other side of the room while she climbed under her blanket. She closed her eyes with a content smile and Taichi could not help but mirror it. Thoughtfully fiddling with the charm of his necklace, he started telling her about a friendly god who made food and handmade blankets for the people that worshipped him.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>A3 nation, I am once again asking you to ship OmiTai.</p><p>This was not super romantic actually, but I have a sequel from Omi's POV in mind if anyone is interested in that! (I'll probably write it either way though.)</p><p>I hope some people enjoyed my word vomit!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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